NEW JERSEY FOOD AND DINING - ZEUGMA GRIL NEWS......

Zeugma Mediterranean Grill & Wine Bar, a new Turkish fusion restaurant located at 44 South Park Street in the Siena building, is full of surprises. Starting with the incredibly addictive Ginger Lee, a refreshing shaken drink made with fresh squeezed lemon, juiced ginger, honey and a dash of cayenne and garnished with candied ginger & lemon peel (lip-smacking on its own, but would also be incredible spiked with your favorite spirit) to cold mezzes like pumpkin mohammara (sweet pumpkin puree, walnut, garlic, feta cheese perfect for dipping with pita) to a pistachio steak burger served with roasted tomatoes, pistachio pesto, spiced fries and pickles ($16), Zeugma’s menu has imaginative dishes you won’t find elsewhere.

WWW.NJ.COM NEW JERSEY FOOD AND DINING

Spot-on service and creative food make magic at this Mediterranean spot The colors really pop on the plate at Zeugma Grill, with a come-hither beauty that beckons irresistibly. The autumnal orange of the pumpkin muhummara laced with walnuts ($8); the brilliant green of the hybrid avogannush, where avocado meets smoked eggplant ($8); the seductive crimson married to goat cheese for "beet heaven" ($9) all say: "Choose me." Zeugma, an ancient city in Turkey, was named for the bridge over the Euphrates river at that location, the last stop in the Greco-Roman world before crossing to the Persian empire. It represented a transition between east and west. That relates to the fusion theme of the restaurant, which opened in June. Its flavors have their origin in Turkey, Greece, Italy, the Middle East and other areas in the Mediterranean region. Chef Can Alp is from Turkey, so that country is well represented. After cooking in France and Turkey, as well as New York, where he worked at the Rainbow Room, he is tailoring his approach for a different type of stage in Montclair. "Some of my dishes are traditional, but I truly enjoy adding a modern twist, which ties into our fusion theme," said the chef, who uses "healthy organic ingredients." Menu items are marked to inform whether they are gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian. A a kids' menu offers the usual pasta and meatballs ($8-$10).

OCTOPUS ZEUGMA GRILL, MONTCLAIR

Zeugma, a Mediterranean grill and wine bar, is now open in Montclair. Owner Mustafa Coskun says he and his partner, who also own Above Bar and Restaurant in South Orange as well as various gourmet shops and wine bars in New York City, were inspired by the seaside restaurants in their native Turkey and across the Mediterranean. The food is "not traditional Turkish," but instead a fusion menu with updates on classics, like the "avogannoush" starter, a baba ganoush made with avocado puree ($8), or a burger crusted with pistachio ($16). The restaurant, which took the 44 S Park Street location over from a steakhouse and totally renovated it for a "casual, relaxed atmosphere," is set to sell California wines, hence the wine bar name, but Coskun says customers can also BYOB or order pairings from the wine shop in town, who will deliver for no fee. Zeugma is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner; 973-744-0074, zeugmagrill.com.

ZEUGMA MEDITERRANEAN GRILL & WINE BAR OPEN IN MONTCLAIR

Zeugma, a Mediterranean grill and wine bar, is now open in Montclair. Owner Mustafa Coskun says he and his partner, who also own Above Bar and Restaurant in South Orange as well as various gourmet shops and wine bars in New York City, were inspired by the seaside restaurants in their native Turkey and across the Mediterranean. The food is "not traditional Turkish," but instead a fusion menu with updates on classics, like the "avogannoush" starter, a baba ganoush made with avocado puree ($8), or a burger crusted with pistachio ($16). The restaurant, which took the 44 S Park Street location over from a steakhouse and totally renovated it for a "casual, relaxed atmosphere," is set to sell California wines, hence the wine bar name, but Coskun says customers can also BYOB or order pairings from the wine shop in town, who will deliver for no fee. Zeugma is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner; 973-744-0074,zeugmagrill.com.